Fleet Foxes Set Sail
Impressive debut from a well established indie crew.
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Released on Nov 30, -0001
Given the details that make up Fleet Foxes self-titled debut, it's no wonder that this album is beginning to make waves along the salty shores of Washington and deep into the ocean of American independent music. First there is the well-established crew that is Fleet Foxes line-up, which include former members of Pedro the Lion, Seldom and Crystal Skulls. Take those talents and put them under the guidance of captain and producer Phil Ek (who has worked with Modest Mouse, Band of Horses and The Shins - among others) at the helm, then set the course of their maiden voyage to Sub Pop Records located in Seattle, a city that has been cranking out influential music longer than you've known what music is, and most would be inclined to bet money on the SS Fleet Foxes making it across the choppy, black waters of mainstream acceptance.
The album's pace and tone are set by the opening song "Sun It Rises," which is an airy, reverb rich melody that almost fools you into thinking you are listening to the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. There in lies Fleet Foxes most admirable quality, their ability to lull the listener into a euphoric state of reflection on their past musical experiences. This is something that many bands do in one way or another, but what makes Fleet Foxes different is the way in which they do this without falling head first into their own influences and becoming less original and more a new medium for old material.
Among the most prominent influences that Fleet Foxes channel is the wispy familiarity of American folk such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills and Nash and Simon and Garfunkel. Oddly enough, it isn't so much the structure of the songs or the timing of the melodies that harkens back to the aforementioned greats of folk, but instead it’s the soft, dulcet vocals of front man Robin Pecknold (which will undoubtedly garner him several comparisons to My Morning Jacket front man Jim James). His voice somehow moves beyond simply providing lyrical context and becomes a part of the instrumentation as if his vocal chords, like the drums or guitars, were carved of wood. This quality shines most brilliantly on the track "White Winter Hymnal," where Pecknold’s voice slips from the forefront and into the dreamy atmosphere of swirling melodies.
In the early 1990s Seattle and its darling label Sub Pop showed us that it was time to throw aside the gimmickry of rock and get back to the soul of what music was about. In recent years the two have shown that the Northwest is once again on the cutting edge, bringing the area's folk rock fusion to our attentions with acts like The Shins, Band of Horses and Iron and Wine. The addition of Fleet Foxes' classically gentle approach to rock it's obvious that this trend isn't about to stop.
High Point
"Ragged Wood," with its Shin-esque bass line, tasteful guitar strumming and engaging vocal work is a much-needed bit of up-tempo.
Low Point
While not necessarily a bad song, the final track "Oliver James" lacks the flare of its predecessors.
Posted by Graham Lee Brewer on Jun 10, 2008 @ 12:00 am